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There are currently 18 member reviews
for Bitter Greens
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Patricia G. (Dyer, IN)
Revisiting Rapunzel
Combine history lesson, romance, real life intrigue, and witchery and you will have Bitter Greens by Kate Forsyth. Her clever weaving of the biography of Charlotte-Rose de la Force, an acclaimed published 17th century storyteller, with the Rapunzel of the fairytale we all know is a revelation. Charlotte-Rose's retelling is more dark and evil: a young girl sacrificed by her parents to appease a witch who requires the girl's blood to maintain her youth. The sanitized version of the fairy tale with which we have become familiar cannot compare. Forsyth also provides ample detail of court etiquette, dress, and behavior during the reign of King Louis XIV revealing her attention to historical accuracy of this decadent, amoral period. At the same time, an underlying theme of the struggle for religious freedom (Huguenot persecution) reflects her sense of the serious issues of the time. My only reserve is in the explicit love scenes; when reading a work of such imagination, I don't need specific details to paint the scene.
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Lisa B. (Denton, TX)
Historical fairy tale
I thoroughly enjoyed the three intertwined stories of the girl in the tower, the witch, and the author of Rapunzel. Growing up fairy tales fascinated me and this entire book reads just like a fairy tale, but with accurate historical details blended in.
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Shirley P. (Colorado Springs, CO)
Not your mother's fairytale...
I enjoyed this book a great deal. I was challenged by the three concurrent stories within the book, but did not have any trouble following the story lines which consisted of a retelling of a fairy tale, the life of the chronicler of the fairy tale and the antagonist (if you will) of the three characters. I was impressed by the writing style of Kate Forsyth, especially her descriptive powers in bringing to life the cities, scenery, clothing and surroundings in each city. I was transported while reading, which is what I look for in a book. The reason this is not "very good" in my estimation, are the passages which descend to "romance novel" sex. Not that I am prudish, but this denigrates the really fine stories and writing into a genre which does not interest me at all, and takes it out of consideration for young adult reading. That said, this is an excellent read and very very impressive and skilled writing.
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Terri O. (Chapel Hill, NC)
Lush retelling of a familiar fairy tale
Bitter Greens is a beautifully written retelling of the Rapunzel story, as well as the story of Charlotte-Rose de la Force, the 17th-century French writer who wrote the version of Rapunzel that the Brothers Grimm popularized. The novel is told from the points of view of 3 strong female characters--Charlotte-Rose, Margherita (the Rapunzel character), and the witch--and one of the strengths of the book is the complex portrayal of each of these characters. The writing is lush and evocative and manages to convincingly intertwine historical detail and elements of fantasy. This book would appeal to readers who enjoy historical fiction and/or fairy tales/folklore, particularly those looking for complex retellings for an adult audience.
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Catharine L. (Petoskey, MI)
Fairy Tale for Adults
I love fantasy - not romance - and this was great - a retelling of Rapunzel on an adult level. Three women: Charlotte-Rose, Margherita, and La Strega Bella - tell their stories. Through Charlotte-Rose, the reader learns of the excesses of Versailles, the debauchery and treachery under Louis XIV. Margherita is the the innocent, the Rapunzel locked in the tower by the evil La Strega Bella. The descriptions are detailed - the casual violence, poverty, religious purges, the plague. More than a fairy tale, it is a realistic look at Venice and Paris in the late 1500's to early 1600 's. The only criticism (and why it's not a 5), is that the story jumped from character to character and back and forth in time, which was confusing. It would be a difficult read on Kindle.
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Liz B. (Fairview, TX)
Bitter Greens
I'm not sure I like the title of this novel but I certainly enjoyed reading it. The back cover alludes to Philippa Gregory and I wholeheartedly agree. The author nicely weaves together historical fiction in the style of Gregory along with the fairy tale, Rapunzel. Sadly, my advance copy was incomplete and I did not get the last few pages but I highly recommend this novel if you enjoy historical fiction.
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Laura M. (Huntsville, TX)
very nicely done story
Ms. Forsyth is a genuinely talented author. This book weaves the stories of three women together without confusing the reader. You jump from past to present but never lose the story. One is based on the fairy tale Rapunzel, which you will recognize if you have read it. A second story is based on the life of the author of Rapunzel, and a third story on one of the characters in the fairy tale, a sort of back story. It amazed me how the three are separate yet blend so perfectly. The end was a really unexpected surprise for me. This would be enjoyable alone or shared with a reading group.
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